1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a strap assembly for a sport shoe. More specifically, the present invention relates to strap that provides a padding to the front ankle area of a sport shoe such as a snow board boot.
2. Background Information
In recent years, snowboarding has become a very popular winter sport. In fact, snowboarding was also an Olympic event during the winter games in 1998 at Nagano, Japan and in 2002 at Salt Lake City, United States. Snowboarding is similar to skiing in that a rider rides down a snow covered hill. The snowboard is generally shaped as a small surfboard or a large skateboard without wheels. The snowboarder stands on the snowboard with his or her feet generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard. Similar to skiing, the snowboarder wears special boots, which are fixedly secured to the snowboard by a binding mechanism. In other words, unlike skiing, the snowboarder has both feet securely attached to a single snowboard with one foot positioned in front of the other foot. The snowboarder stands with both feet on the snowboard in a direction generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the snowboard. Moreover, unlike skiing, the snowboarder does not utilize poles.
Snowboarding is a sport that involves balance and control of movement. When steering on a downhill slope, the snowboarder leans in various directions in order to control the direction of the movement of the snowboard. Specifically, as the snowboarder leans, the snowboarder movements must be transmitted from the boots to the snowboard in order to maintain control of the snowboard. For example, when a snowboarder leans backward, the movement causes the snowboard to tilt accordingly turning in the direction of the lean. Similarly, leaning forward causes the board to tilt in a corresponding manner and thus causing the snowboard to turn in that direction. Accordingly, the snowboard boots and bindings should be configured to maximize control over the snowboard.
Generally, snowboarding can be divided into alpine snowboarding and freestyle snowboarding. In alpine snowboarding, hard boots similar to those conventionally used for alpine skiing are worn, and fitted into so-called hard bindings mounted on the snowboard, which resemble alpine ski boot bindings. In freestyle snowboarding, soft boots similar to ordinary boots are typically worn. Of course, the soft style boots can also be in alpine snowboarding, if desired. Basically, there are many types of snowboard bindings that are currently available. However, snowboard bindings can be classified as either a step-in type binding or a strap type binding. Two examples of step-in type bindings are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,682 to Okajima, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,325,405 to Okajima, et al. One example of a strap type binding is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,848 to Rigal et al.
There are step-in type bindings for hard snowboard boots and soft snowboard boots. When step-in type bindings are used with soft snowboard boots, an ankle strap assembly is used to prevent the heel of the snowboarder""s foot from lifting within the boot. The ankle strap assembly is typically attached at medial and lateral attachment points on the boot and extends across the front portion of the ankle to hold the snowboarder""s foot down in the bottom of the boot. A ratcheting mechanism is often used to tighten a first strap component coupled to one side of the boot with a second strap coupled to the other side of the boot. The ratcheting mechanism typically includes a ratcheting buckle mounted to one strap component, and a toothed strap component adapted to engage therewith. One example of such an ankle strap assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,253,467 to Maravetz et al.
Similarly, ankle strap assemblies are also used in strap type bindings such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,848 to Rigal et al. Thus, ankle straps in strap type bindings are usually attached directly to the sides of the binding.
Ankle strap assemblies in both step-in type bindings and strap type bindings are typically constructed out of many pieces. Thus, ankle strap assemblies typically have a relatively complex construction. These types of strap assembly are often relatively expensive to manufacture and assemble.
In view of the above, there exists a need for an improved ankle strap assembly which overcomes the above mentioned problems in the prior art. This invention addresses this need in the prior art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.
One object of the present invention is to provide a strap assembly that has a relatively simple construction.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a strap assembly that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.
The foregoing objects can basically be attained by providing a strap assembly for a sport shoe in which the strap assembly includes a first strap member, a pad member, an adjustable strap buckle and a second strap member. The first strap member has a first attachment portion and a first pad connecting portion. The pad member has a first end portion, a center portion and a second end portion with the first pad connecting portion of the first strap member being fixedly coupled to the pad member by a fastening member. The adjustable strap buckle fixedly coupled to the first pad connecting portion of the first strap member by the fastening member. The second strap member has a second attachment portion and a second pad connecting portion that is adjustably coupled to the first strap member by the adjustable strap buckle.
The foregoing objects can basically be attained by providing a sport shoe having a sole portion and an upper portion fixedly coupled to the sole portion. The upper portion has an inner side section, a center foot section and an outer side section. The first strap member has a first attachment portion coupled to one of the inner and outer side sections and a first pad connecting portion. The pad member has a first end portion, a center portion and a second end portion with the first pad connecting portion of the first strap member being fixedly coupled to the pad member by a fastening member. The adjustable strap buckle fixedly coupled to the first pad connecting portion of the first strap member by the fastening member. The second strap member has a second attachment portion coupled to the other of the inner and outer side sections and a second pad connecting portion that is adjustably coupled to the first strap member by the adjustable strap buckle.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the present invention.